Brewery Gives Starbucks $6 Over "Frappicino" Flap - NBC 7 San
Diego
HomeNewsLocalU.S. & WorldCalifornia
WeatherForecastMaps & RadarWeather AlertsWeather
StoriesCalifornia Drought
SportsWrapEntertainmentThe SD SceneEntertainment NewsSoundDiego
Local MusicWorth The TripSan Diego Deals1st LookOpen HouseCOZI
TVTalk Stoop
The GoodsTrafficContact UsNBC 7 CommmunityContestsTV
Listings
LIVE TVON NOWThe Voyager With Josh Garcia
ON DEMANDNBC on DemandWatch the latest full episodes of your
favorite NBC series anytime and anywhere.
Click for full schedule
61
Connect
Social Media
Our Apps
Newsletters
Send us Videos and Pictures
Send Tips
Submit TipsSend FeedbackTerms of ServicePrivacy PolicyVisit our
partner site
The days top national and international news
WATCH LIVEThe Voyager With Josh GarciaJosh explores Rio de
Janeiro, Brazil; exotic fruits; a local soccer player; a hang
gliding tour.
Brewery Gives Starbucks $6 Over "Frappicino" Flap
Published at 10:32 AM PST on Jan 2, 2014 | Updated at 10:33 AM
PST on Jan 2, 2014
NEWSLETTERS
Receive the latest national-international updates in your
inboxEmail
Privacy policy | More Newsletters
A small Missouri brewery sent Starbucks a $6 check after being
hit with a cease and desist letter from the coffee giant for using
the word "Frappicino."
A small Missouri brewery has responded to a cease and desist
letter from Starbucks by sending the coffee chain a check to cover
what it calls the profit from use of the word "Frappicino" a check
for $6.
Exit 6 Pub and Brewery in the St. Louis suburb of Cottleville
named one of its brews the Frappicino, with one c instead of the
two that Starbucks uses for its blended beverages. That prompted an
attorney for Starbucks Coffee Co. to send Exit 6 a letter on Dec.
9.
The letter from attorney Anessa Owen Kramer noted that the
Seattle-based company "is the owner of a number of world-famous
trademarks, including the well-known FRAPPUCCINO trademark." It
said that the words are "phonetically identical" and that Exit 6's
use of Frappicino "is likely to cause confusion, mistake."
In his sarcastic response letter, Exit 6 owner Jeff Britton also
wrote that the brewery "never thought that our beer drinking
customers would have thought that the alcoholic beverage coming out
of the tap would have actually been coffee from one of the many,
many, many stores located a few blocks away."
Exit 6 posted the letter on its Facebook site and responded with
a letter to "Mr. Bucks." The letter said Exit 6 would no longer use
the term "Frappicino" and would instead refer to its beer as the "F
Word."
Britton said in a telephone interview Tuesday that he brewed up
a new batch of "The F Word" last Friday. By then, the dispute was
already drawing attention on social media, and the beer sold out in
three hours. He's contemplating making more, based on the calls,
emails and Facebook messages of support he said he's received from
around the world.
"It's been unbelievable," Britton said. "People are just saying,
'Hey, read the story, good job.' I'm getting emails and Facebook
messages from Germany, China, England. People are just clamoring
for it."
Starbucks spokeswoman Laurel Harper said the company was glad
the brewery agreed to stop using the name.
"This was a respectful request asking Exit 6 to refrain from
using the term 'Frappicino,' which differs by only one letter from
our 'Frappucino' product," she said by telephone.
"We always prefer to resolve trademark disputes informally and
amicably, and we appreciate them respecting our request to avoid
confusion among customers."
Copyright Associated Press
Leave Comments
NewsWeatherInvestigationsEntertainmentTrafficContact UsSan Diego
Deals
Connect With Us
EmploymentFCC Independent Programming ReportFCC News and
Information Programming ReportNBC Non-Profit News Partnership
ReportsKNSD Public Inspection File
Send FeedbackTerms of servicePrivacy policyCareers at NBC
7Internships at NBC 7
2018 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. All rights reserved. AdChoices
